Saturday, April 22, 2006

Love me some Palm Beach Post!

The Palm Beach Post has their article on Matt Doherty. As an aside, thank the Lord for the internet, ya know? There is no way you and I could read the Palm Beach Post without it. No way to know what the Florida Atlantic Owls are saying about this. Oh, and no way you could read this; I would just be some crazy guy muttering to myself in a corner (maybe I am anyway, who’s to say?).

“A phone message left on Doherty's cell phone wasn't returned and his administrative assistant at the FAU basketball office said Doherty was out of town.”

Has an offer actually been made? Well, Orsini says, "Things are still open… We haven't offered the job. It all depends on the two parties coming together." FoxSports reports SMU has offered (actually, FoxSports says he has accepted). The FAU Athletic Director says he spoke to Doherty on Friday morning, but was not told of any offer from SMU. Yet the Palm Beach Post says an offer was made.

The answer is likely one of semantics. The committee has not met to discuss Doherty yet. This is a little dance until all the ducks are in a row. Doherty has the job if he wants it. If he doesn’t, then hey! SMU never offered and get to go after Rob Evans.

How much is Doherty going to be paid and is there a chance FAU will try to match?

The salary range for the Mustangs' new coach is listed as "commensurate with experience" on the official job posting on SMU's Web site. However, it's believed SMU is offering Doherty close to three times his $177,000 annual salary at FAU."I'm not sure of the numbers they are dealing with, but I also know they are out of our league," Angelos said.

Do the math, three times Doherty’s current salary is over $500,000 per year. Nice work if you can get it. We are the long suffering Mustang fans. Isn’t it nice to hear “they are out of our league?” For once, SMU is throwing its weight around. But it begs the question” $600,000 to buy out Tubbs, $500,000 for at least five years for Doherty, $4,000,000 raised for a $12,000,000 practice facility, who is footing the bill for this?

Doherty, 44, has a $200,000 buyout clause in his contract.

You knew there was one. Is SMU paying that too? Maybe, maybe not.

It's believed Doherty met with Orsini on Monday in Orlando before visiting the SMU campus Wednesday.

If you think Doherty is the right guy, this couldn’t have worked out any better. Fly him up to Orlando and Orsini and Doherty gauge their mutual interest. Then a flight to Dallas on Wednesday to tour the campus. Interesting that the two meetings with Doherty bookend the meeting with Rob Evans on Tuesday.

This season, Doherty signed the Owls' best recruiting class in school history.

For those that question Doherty’s recruiting skills, there you are. Yes, it is easy to recruit to North Carolina (except it wasn’t that easy for the guy that preceded Doherty). It is easy to recruit to Notre Dame. But all recruiting is relative. If you want to know if a guy is a good recruiter, compare who he brought in against his predecessors.